Up in the Trees
by restmychemistry78550
Summary: Two women are holding back on a truth that'll make the road much easier to walk through.


Author's Note: sorry for unfinished thoughts, typos whatever. I was practicing at writing impromptu drabbles and this is the finished product.

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Sleeping in the leaves wasn't the ideal place Andrea would have liked to be. Nonetheless it was still warmer than letting the cool breeze hit her. The spare blankets they kept weren't doing them any good. Michonne had searched but everything she could find were either blood splattered or covered in holes from moths or whatever it may be. As Andrea lay frozen in thought she watched as Michonne sat still against the tree. An owl cooed in the distance and she immediately drew her sword. When it grew silent she returned to her position. Did she ever get any rest?

Andrea had tried to make friendly several times but there was no way to get her to open up. Obviously something traumatic had happened to her, Andrea dealt with her demons and Michonne dealt with hers in her own way. It took a while before she was forced to be satisfied with that. Despite not being the biggest talker she still valued her company and occasionally the warmth that she would bring when they'd sit close together.

She wasn't sure why the her thoughts always returned to her. One part of her figured maybe it was because she was the only thing right before her very eyes and another part had this desire to know every bit about her, almost obsessively. She clung to thinking of Michonne when she should have been upset about being left behind or thanking whatever force behind these events that she survived or just feeling sorry for herself like any other person would in her position.

Sometimes she'd find herself in utter disbelief at how they'd come across each other, what were the odds? The human population for the most part were wiped off, there was hardly any chance that she could wake up in the morning and pass by a stranger ever again. With that final thought she began to drift off to sleep, the silhouette of Michonne's slouched broad shoulders the last thing she saw.

Michonne lifted her head briefly, her eyes quickly scanning andrea. It appeared she went out early, it had been days since she had slept so it made sense she'd get comfortable quick, even that pile of leaves looked cozy to Michonne. Resting her head against the trees she looked up at the branches. Ever since she was a kid she'd race her siblings up the tree, her brothers would laugh and tease her because she was a girl but she'd always prove them wrong. She'd climb quickly not caring about the twigs and splinters that'd scratch her knees, all that would matter was that she'd be right. She was the stronger one of the bunch, gender and age had nothing to do with it. Every time they'd angrily curse at her and leave her, she always liked that part the best. Sometimes she'd stay up in those trees looking at the sight she couldn't see anywhere but up there.

Apart from the birds she'd hear chirping in a alarm from her presence, things were relatively silent. And this habit of hers was no different when she roamed the woods alone. Again she looked at Andrea, she moved in her sleep, her back facing towards her as her blonde ringlets took some dried leaves with them. Michonne took in her beauty, seeing her roll in the leaves made her mind drift elsewhere. She could remember that time she first saw her. Curiosity brought her to the farm, there were constant gunshots coming from that direction. Sure it was stupid but it was gnawing at her, she was so lonely and carrying around her emotional baggage with her wasn't doing the job. She couldn't live off of voices in her head anymore.

Hiding in the trees she over looked the watering hole that was getting closer to the plains that stretched long and far. From a distance she could see people walking around but only one caught her eye getting closer and closer. In alarm she tried to not stir, she stayed still and gradually that long blur had a face, had a long lean body and beautiful blonde hair. She went about her business, kicking around at the leaves but her hand still on her gun.

Michonne could feel the sweat drip down her temples as she kept an eye on her. She was very much taken by her or at least from what she could make of her. There was sorrow and anguish in her body stance as she walked side to side, her head hanging low. Feeling embarrassed she was even seeing such a intimate moment, Michonne tried to look away and think of other things but her eyes were drawn to her. Eventually she could hear the faint sobbing as Andrea hid her face with her hands. The blonde fell to her knees and went straight to wiping the tears from her eyes. She crawled to the water and splashed it on her face and eventually dunk her head in. Brushing her hair aside she crouched there not bothered by the mud she was in.

The sound of chains startling Michonne back into reality, she jumped on the branch she was straddling and looked backwards at her two pets growing anxious.

Andrea lifted her head up in surprise and ran back towards the farm like a startled deer. Michonne could feel her heart sink but she let it go. Excuse after excuse she had reasoned with herself to stay nearby in hopes to see her again but she didn't get this wish. All she got was drama, people walking around in her woods in the dark. All these things she didn't want to be apart of so she disappeared further where she hoped they wouldn't find her. Not long passed before she was on the run again as a hoard of zombies made their way through the woods. They trickled through eventually, enough for her to comfortably eat a can of beans up in a tree. There were screams and there right before her eyes was that woman that reminded her of when she'd dare herself to stare straight into the sun as a child. It was no accident, thought Michonne. She camped there hoping, waiting, wishing she'd come across her again and these walkers brought her to her just like she wanted. Never had a plan worked, never in her lifetime. Like the hero she wished she could be she slayed those walkers, she knew perfectly well that she had no place to go and she knew she'd follow along like a puppy. Hooded and mysterious Michonne didn't have the will to introduce herself, Andrea just looked on in horror that eventually turned to relief when she didn't draw her sword on her.

"Why are you looking at me like that," Andrea muttered, "You think I can't feel you staring at me." She turned back towards Michonne who uncomfortably looked back away.

"Thought I heard a walker is all."

"That's bullshit," her voice cracked but there was some sing-song flirtatiousness somewhere in there. She licked her dry pink lips as Michonne played coy. "I want to thank you—"

"No need to," Michonne pressed her lips firmly together, looking straight into nothing.

"I think about you a lot Meesh."

"Well I'm right here, you can't help it."

This was possibly the most amount of words Andrea had heard from her in a week. She expected a grunt or a groan but she got a sentence instead and was pleased with that.

"I can see the red in the whites of your eyes," Andrea leaned against her elbow watching Michonne fondly. "Let me have your back for once. I already owe you too much," she laughed.

Michonne faintly scoffed and shrugged.

"They're beautiful," continued Andrea and Michonne nearly gasped out loud, quickly covering her mouth.

"What," she hissed.

"Your eyes."

"Go back to bed."

"Why?"

"You're getting weird on me and we shouldn't talk so much…we might attract…attention."

"Alright but—"

"But what Andrea?"

"You don't need to carry all that baggage on your own you know."

"I have my walkers carry it."

"You know that's what I'm not talking about."

Michonne grew silent crunching the leaves near her hand.

"Let me in, it'll do you some good. It's just some advice, I'm not doing something crazy like confessing my love for you or anything," Andrea sat up, Michonne still very much silent. The wind blew through the trees and the owl cooed again.

Michonne brought her head up, her eyes dry from the lack of rest but her shoulders grew less tense. "Why do you make it sound like that's a bad thing?"

In the darkness Andrea sat up picking at the leaves in her hair with a smile on her lips,"Well…I guess it isn't."


End file.
